New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-03
THE COSTLY QUAKER DAM SCHEME
WHAT MUST BE PAID FOR LAND REQUIRED

MR. LACoMBE THINKS THE ESTIMATE WILL be Ex-
CEEDED THREE TIMES.
The opponents of the big Quaker Bridge Dam pro-
ject TO which the Aqueduct Commission has committed
itset find an important ground tor objection In the
belief that the OF lad to be taken will be far
greater than Is believed by the commission In the re-
port of Chief Engineer Church il is said that the land
can be had for about $500 an acre. But the opponents
of the scheme bellows that this estimate far too small
and that the cost will be three or Jour times as great
When the award ia made the Law Department Will act
as counsel tor the city In view OF this TRIBUNE re-
porter asked Corporation Counsel acomoe yesterday
%ns' IN nus hs naid Upop acquiring title
1t Is not usual for US here to give in advance, he
replied, estimates as to the probable resuts OF ga
ton in which we may have to engage"
Would you consider the estimate reported oy Chiei
Engineer Church of $500 acre tor 1000 acres OF
land-a total aggregate OF OO,OOO-suffciently
liberal ~ asked the reporter. ,
al suppose it will only be just to my suocesser-i
use that word advisedly for the appraisement OF dam
ages ut Quaker Bridge Re servoir Will certainly NOT oe
completed during my term OF Office II the
ers sat regularly three days out OF week II would
take them hard on to three years from shs .le 'ut
would, saw be only just to my successor 70 put o..
record at this time the opinion OF the Law Department
as to the probable results of these appraisements 80
thai when their aggregate found to be In excess OF
the 81 200 900 of the estimate, 1t may not DC sup
posed such has been caused by failure on
the part of counsel who nay have the
In charge properly to present the case OF the city,
"Then YOU expect that the cost will be heavier than
is supposed BY the commission |"
q IL the 1000 acres OF land were divided IN large
holdings BET fifty sixty individuals and devoted
entirely to farming purposes With the ordinary Iar
improvements upon them. the per acreage value OF
$500 would not be out of the way and perhaps might
be regarded as liberal allowance. For kensico Res
ervoir situated further from the city, the Land being
held by but few owners tor dairy and general farming
purposes the awards made about tour years ago
ranged from 1925 to $500 an acre The present or
cumstanees however are widely Rid
ia To swell ont the river itself and its various tributary
streams and the reservoir thus produced Is OF remark
ably irregular shape The 1000 acres tbe quantity
suppose is correctly given) divided among many
hundreds OF owners numbers OF whom own out iitue
piece. varyng from quarter 10 hye acres ~ SIZE
Assuming that $500 is liberal average value
for farming land in any particular region, it goes
without telling and past experience teaches us, that
commissioners of appraisal viii never bnd do"n the
small proprietor to this rate the little holding
taken from him. The man who owns three quarters oil
an acre with his dwelling house on and whose nome
ia by this proceeding wiped out OF existence WILL ser
tany not get from the commissioners solely the value
of his building materials and 1928 for his land
Besides the various small country hoioings .hus
indicated the line of the reservoir includes portions OF
villages where the land is now divided INTO Duuihg
lots and is bought and sold between man and man on
dollars for fragments of acres. do not know exactly
how many dwelling houses are included WITHIN the
proposed property line; have heard IL satea 'na'
there are 500 inhabited dwelling houses, and know,
from my own observation OF that section OF the coun
try which has been quite extensive, IN connection
with the other proceedings Wnicn inc Sity nus wi
Quoted from time to time to increase the supply OF
water, that there certainly several hundred OF
them. Moreover, part OF this section has been con
sdered desi able for country residences and is now
improved, farming land, but as country seats
occupied by extensive mansions and with impi owe
ments upon them tai superior to the ordinary class OF
farm improvements Another important item IN the
awards will be the interest. The statute allows inter
est on each award from the beginning OF Proceedings
Iuasmuch all cannot be- heard at once this Item VIII
undoubtedly swell INTO a considerable sum-
Iu addition to all these elements OF Increased cost
to be noted that the lines OF two constructed rail
WAYS and OF one railroad already located, are ser
ously nteriored with. and change OF their routes
will probably be rendered necessary by the epproprla
ton of the land to the purposes OF reservoir In my
OPINION if awards tor land damage are Kept down
to three times the amount OF the estimate you nave
stated to mo- inside OF S3,5OO,ooO, should THINK
that the counsel who had the matter IN charge had
done remarkably well OF course the sum named does
not include costs OF appraisal awards to property
owners counsel which the statute requires TO be gwen
at rates not in excess OF per cent OF tue awards.